The factory

Manufacturing facility and corporate office

Gibela’s R1 billion combined manufacturing facility and corporate office occupies a site covering more than 70 hectares at in Ekurhuleni, 50km east of Johannesburg.

It was designed to the highest international environmental standards – with close attention paid to containing energy and water consumption. Thousands of indigenous plants were rescued from the site, stored temporarily in nurseries and incorporated later in landscaping.

The manufacturing site is at the cutting edge of train production – a critical hub of engineering and manufacturing excellence.

Construction was completed by a wholly South African consortium comprising two black-owned companies, Trencon and Black Jills.

Construction created 1 900 limited duration jobs, primarily for people from nearby communities. Many were trained in portable skills employment at the end of the construction period.

At full production, Gibela will provide full-time employment for some 1 500 people in manufacturing and testing, as many as possible recruited from local communities.

Gibela prioritises the safety of its employees, as well as the quality standards to which its trains comply. The company’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) pledge is:

  • Zero severe injuries or accidents
  • Care for people’s safety and health
  • Care for the environment

Download Gibela’s EHS and Quality policies